Steam-condenser



J HARTFORD' STEAM GONDENSER.

Patented'Deo. 16,. 18901.

Ima@ Jgfrd) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ISAAC J. HARTFORD, OF KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI.

STEAM-CONDENSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,885, dated December16, 1890..

Application iiled July 24, 1890. Serial No. 359,790. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, ISAAC J. HARTFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kirksville, in the county of Adair and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Steam-Condenser, of which the followingisa specification.

This invention relates to steam-engines, and more particularly to thatpart thereof known as a condenser5 and the object of the invention is toeffect improvements upon devices of this same general characterheretofore existing.

To this end the invention consists in the speciiic details ofconstruction hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated in thedrawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a locomotive andtender with my invention shown as applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlargedcentral vertical longitudinal section of the condensing device properwithin the tank of the tender. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detailview of the valve.

Referring to the said drawings, the let-ter L designates the locomotive,and T the tender, the latter having a cold-water tank within its body,as is usual.

E is an exhaustpipe leading from the cylinder C alongside the locomotiveL and connected by a flexible pipe or piece of tubing F with thecondenser proper, which is located within the tank of the tender, bywhich means v the steam as it is used in the cylinder is passed throughthe pipe E and flexible pipe F to the condenser proper. The latter is ofthe following spec-inc construction:

P is a pipe leading upwardly within the tank of the tender and having aconical portion forming a valve-seat V within its body, above which itis extended upward, as at U, to about the water-level in the tank, whereits upper end is left open, and the rubber pipeF is connected to thelower end of this pipe P, whereby the exhauststealn will be caused topass upwardly through the pipe. Within said conical valve-seat V is acorrespondingly-shaped rubber valve R, having longitudinal stems L,around which are placed coiled springs S, which bear at their outer endsagainst cross-bars B within the pipe P, as best seen in Fig. 3.

I is an inlet-pipe arranged along` the bottom of the tank and having anumber of openings O in its body, whereby cold water willbe admittedthereto, and this pipe is joined to the pipe P at the junction J abovethe valve R, as shown. Above this junction a wire screen I extendsacross the pipe P.

The steam, flowing rearwardly through the exhaust-pipe E, flexible pipeF, and condenserpipe P, raises the valve R against the tension of itssprings S, passes around said valve upwardly by the junction J, throughthe screen IV, throughout the extension U, out of the upper end of thelatter, and into the cold water within the tank. The condensation of thesteam by reason of the surrounding body of cold water produces a partialvacuum within the extension U, and the upward flow of the steam out ofthe upper end of said extension also assists in setting up an inwardcurrent from the cold water within the tank, through the openings O intothe inlet-pipe I, and through the junction J of the same with theextension U, where it joins the steam j ustbefore the screen I isreached. The water and steam in a mixed condition then pass through thewire screen,whereby the mixture is converted into spray or tine streams,and the latter pass out of the upper end of the extension U and falloverinto the water within the tank. In this manner the steam has everyopportunity of becoming condensed, not only by the action of the coldwater surrounding the pipe P, valve-case V, and extension U, but also byits mixture with. cold water at the junction J and by its separationinto tine streams by means of the wire screen WV. When the engine ceasesto operate, the water in the tank by its pressure, as well as thesprings S, closes the valve R to its seat V, and for this reason doesnot pass through the exhaust-pipe E into the cylinder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Thehereiirdescribed steam-condenser, the same comprising an upright pipelocated within a cold-water tank, connected at its lower end with thesteameexhaust, open at its upper end within said tank, having adownwardly-closing valve within its body, a wire screen across said pipeabove the valve, and an inlet-pipe leading from the bottom of the IOOtank upwardly into said pipe at a point between the valve and the screentherein, the whole operating substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a stea1n-eondenser, the combination, with the exhaust-pipe E, theupright pipe I), connected therewith and located within a cold-watertank, its upper end being open Within said tank, and adownwardly-elosing valve R Within said upright pipe, of a wire screen\Vaeross the upright pipe between the valve and the upper end of thepipe, the whole operating substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a steam-condenser, the combination, with the exhaust-pipe E, theuprightJ pipe I), Connected therewith and located Within a cold-Watertank, the oonioal valve-seat Y in said upright pipe, the extension Uabove said Valve-seat opening at its upper end Within the tank, and thewire screen XV across said extension, of the Cross-bars B within saidpipe, the conical rubber valve R within said valveseat, provided withlongitudinalstenis L, moving loosely through holes in said bars, springsS between said Valve and bars, and the inletpipe I, provided withopenings O near one end which lies along the bottom of the tank, theother end of said inlet-pipe being ex tended upward and joinedobliquely, as at J, to said extension U between the valve and screen,the Whole constructed and operating substantially as hereinbeforedescribed.

' In testimony that I olaini the foregoing as presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC J. HARTFORD. Witnesses:

THEODORE BRIGHAM, J. I). MARKEY.

l l l l l l lny own I have hereto affixed my signature in 3 5

